Cultural Heritage Sites | Reasons to Preserve Them

3 GOOD REASONS WHY WE NEED TO PRESERVE OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE | ENDANGERED HERITAGE SITES OF NEGROS OCCIDENTAL

Our civilization’s history has been millennia in the making. From the time of the Stone Age to a time when the first writing inscription is made, to the era of colonial subjugation, and up to the present-day contemporary setting, everything we have known about our culture is an amalgamation of the events that carved and shaped our history.

But while our culture’s existence in this plane has been a long-going struggle for significance and continued survival, its past had a presence that was essentially volatile and that could easily be left forgotten if not commemorated.

It may be an overstatement, but lest we do our part in keeping the echoes of our civilization’s history reverberating to the present, today’s generation—who are fixated at looking forward than backward—are bound to overlook the significant chapters that made our culture as it is.

More substantial reasons why we should preserve our cultural heritage sites than in the fear of losing it

1. Our cultural heritage is our identity

When we speak about cultural heritage, we do not merely specify a single element in a multi-faceted civilization. We refer to it as a whole, including the tangible and intangible aspects.

For a foreigner to attribute our identity to anything that is distinctly our making or way of life—which makes part of our culture—is, therefore, something we would consider as natural than pejorative. For instance, to be natively Pinoy is to eat with bare hands and to consume bagoong as part of a meal. To live in a “Bahay Kubo,” too, was a typical symbol for Pinoys in the rural areas.

While some may find such traits as rather primitive, especially in a globalized and developing world, it is not really something we should be ashamed of. It’s who we are as a distinct culture.

2. The tangibles are our history’s voice into the present and the future

Nothing speaks louder than a history screaming with stories to tell regardless of the time and space. Put in the context with our civilization, ours has a plethora of stories that draws back thousands of years, often immortalized as physical manifestations of the personas or events behind the tale.

Ever wonder why the Rizal monument was erected at the exact same place where it stands to this day? Or why other heroes in the Philippine culture are commemorated with their effigies in the place that is significant to their history? It basically boils down to the telling of undying tales from the scenarios which did take place from a previous timeline.

Cultural Heritage Sites | Reasons to Preserve Them

3. It’s our unique symbol

We may be a culture that shared some similarities with our neighbors, but we are significantly distinct in more than a handful of ways. In cases when appearances fail to separate us from other races, our unique way of living and doing things could signify the hallmark of being Pinoy.

For example, when you have four fair-skinned people of different races sitting next to each other on a table and you are to guess which one is a Filipino, the chance is good that your judgment is based on the type of food the person is eating or how he does the eating. If he uses his bare hands and with a bagoong on a separate plate, then you probably already got the right man.

Cultural Heritage Sites | Reasons to Preserve Them

Endangered Cultural Heritage Sites in Negros Occidental

Just like in any other provinces in the country, Negros Occidental has rich cultural heritage sites. Some of these have been defaced while others already vanished in the map.

Cultural Heritage Sites | Reasons to Preserve Them

One important cultural structure that is facing a great threat of being demolished is the Sen. Esperidion Guanco Bridge. The bridge which measures 114 meters long and 6 meters wide was built in 1927 by the late Pro-Tempore Senator Esperidion Guanco.

I am lauding the people of Hinigaran for being vigilant and the National Historical Commision for issuing the Cease and Desist Order pertaining to the demolition of the said bridge.

This photo was posted on Facebook. Grabbed with permission from the owner. ( Cultural Heritage Sites | Reasons to Preserve Them )

We will be updating this page on any development regarding this issue. This post is progressive in nature and we will also be posting other sites which have been defaced. Our objective is to create awareness for the public to be more watchful and participative on issues like this.

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• Cultural Heritage Sites | Reasons to Preserve Them